The Opelousas courier., 1887-11-26
was doing in town, and he sola me he was

/ asked him, Are you really trying 10 gal
ya99ize that old concern i I.o existence i 3 sgai1I
WHILST you people are divided into Nichols
and McEnery parties, do you suppose we arr
not going to get ready to pick up 2 fey
crumbs 2" Said he, Il am going to be sheriff
/ know they cannot assail your citade
here, fellew-eitiZens, in the parish OF Cal
casieu. You never feared. the Republican
party, and in its pa!miest days you CAV
Democratic representative to, the State
capitol; but are all your neighbors as for
tunate rs you are2 Can the parish. Oh St
landry stand DIXON? Can the parishes OF
the parishes of North Louisiana, which have
been wrested from the hands OF the RepIbH:
can party andfrom eolored domination, stanC
division? And are You sure that DIVISION
may not come from this bitter lnterlNelne
warfare which Is being waged WITHIN the
Democratic party7 Are you to fight to-day
and make friends. tomorrow? Are you to
support the candidates Jon bitterly denounc;e
to-day, and are you cure th: t when the battle
is over and it ia decided against you that you
inJend to submit and that you will support
the candidate whom, you now oppose
SO bitterly with enthusiasm IS, y = t diIi
sion IS there no danger Of defeat?
Why, fellow-eitiZens, what ma be history
here has been history in other states. The
Democratic party divided in New York in
10 " GlANA - AtoRobE1SHAa
ernor was elected by an immense majority.
1he Democratic party divided IN virginia, be-
cause it was q faction of the DemocFatlc party
of which Malone was the leader. Mahonee
Democratic party. htahone claimed to be q
Democrat - the best of Democrats - and
claimed that his was the ~simon-pure erganl-
cation. He ran an electoral ticket for Han
cock, and sent a deputation to the National
Committee, claiming that his was the Demo-
cratic party of Virginia and entitled to sup
port, and he claimed to be the Democratic
Senator of Virginia. and selected his seat
upon the Democratic side of the Senate; but
when his claims were rejected, when has fac
ton was not recognized, when Garfield was
elected, h Iyent DER end carried his faction
ON onef the 20 f Re%p anfRnonG side p oSthe n Senate a5,S t hsas
giving the Republican party the control of
that body, and made his minority, by skill
fully manipulating and securing the colqged
vote of Virginia, temporarily the majority IN
that State, thus electing a Republican Gov
ernor ana another Republican Senator.
Felow-citizens, what was one there may
be done some da%in Louisiana. Ii we once
forget what issues We fought for through
twelve long years, what a battie~Ee gained,
how We gained it by unity and organization,
and how. necessary 1t is to maintain that
unity and organization inS@der to preserve
the fruits of our victory, we may have bitter
reason TO regret it. l am not afraid that the
Republican party will again come into power
in this State. but suppose you divide into
factions, are you willing that the Republican
party shall hold the balance OF power and
decide for you what faction shall gain the
control OF the Slater
l am not afraid of the Authorization Of
the State. | think no power on earth can
again place the white mar of this State I'M
der the domination of the colored man OF his
allies: but. feLow-citizens, do you wish 70
permit
THE coLoRED VOTE
of this State to hold the BALANCE of powell. so
hat the faction may succeed that secures the
cOlored vote, n SO that the greatest dema-
gogues and the greatest enemies of the State
and people may work for that vote for the
purpose OF securing a triumph, even tempo
rary In its nature, over the best people OF the
State? FellaB-citiZenR, these dangers are in
view. / am here tonight to warn you Of
them. lam here tonight to plead in the in-
terest of peace and harmony: [ am here to-
night to speak in defense of every Demo
cratic candidate who has been presented for
the choice of the Democratic people; but /
an also here tonight, fdyc citizens, to urge
you all to advocate the claims of your candi-
dates at Democratic meetings, within the
Democratic party n IL Democratic peace
and harmony, so that when the voice of the
party shall have been spoken through con-
ventiGp, q cry of enthusiasm shall go MP
from nhe Democratic party in favor of the
nomiIee. Why, fellow-eitiZens, our whole
futurn our whole life, our whole happiness
depends upon the continued success of the
Delaoaatic party. The Democratic party
speak4g through its agents, [ care not who
they tf, the Democratic party is the people,
the Rpple are an-powerfuI; the people in
eonFeition settle all things; the majority
of the people ID the voice OF the people;
1t speaks In your primaries; 1t speaks in
your parishes, it speaks in yoar districts, it
speaks in your State. 1t cannot do wrong.
Occasionally a bad man may be nominated,
but the voice of the Democratic party which
is the voice of the people. cannot do wrong,
SO long as that voice is heard in unity and
harmony, and go long IS that voice is obeyed
by the minority. Let ne urge you fellow
citizens IN conclusion, Tor / have spoken
much longer than l intended, n dis
tlnguished speakers are to follow me, let me
urge you once more to maintain union and
harmony and peace in -FOUR ranks: let me
urge the people OF CaIcaSieu not to permit
themselves to be driven one instant from the
old Democratic organization to which they
have adhered so long, not to permit them
selves to be driven into ~antSgonism to the
Democratic administration of which they
form q part and for which they are resron-
sible. not to permit themselves to be driven
into a~ntagonisrn to the Democratic party, or
into factional opposition to any portion of
the Democratic party. We need the votes of
all. We are ali Democrats. There should
be no factions among US. We do not differ
upon questions of principle, and We do not
differ upon any of those questions which we
we're almost twelve long years IN settling. We
do not differ upon
B PROMINENT QUESTION
that the Democratic party must rele4ti1is
State, and that white men gcust rule tine
Democratic party. sra 90 not differ upon
any question: e4scept upon the personal choice
of raadidates, and this IS the first time, fell
iow-citizens. that the personal choice OF can
didates has ever been made a subject of pub
he discussion, either in this or in any other
State, in advance Of a nominating eonYen-
ton. Candidates have been named through
the papers, candidates have had the suppof
of their friends, candidates have been urged
IN different sections, and in different local
tiles: but never before have parties been or
ganized e0the purpose OF supporting the
eandidatu1e of any certain man. never be-
fore have campaigns been organized for the
purpose of prosecuting. their candldature
through the State, never before have the peo-
Pile been organized into clubs, into factions,
into parties, for the purpose of presenting TO
the people the candidacy of certain indi-
vidtlals for nomination for the offices
that it is Democratic. Et is a new
usage, 1t was never known In times past; it
is known in no other State. / trust, as the
time Las been fixed for holding TIE conyen-
tion, and as the time is being fixed in most
of the parishes for the election of delegates,
that the aaperities Of this canvass will soon
pass away. i trust that as Democrats we will
begin to consider the paramount importance
q our party over persons. l trust that
while urging the claims of our respective
candidates., we will begin to feel that
they are all Democrats, and all worthy of
the support OF the Democratic party. / trust
that We viii begin to recognize the fact that
the Democratic party of this State is i'll pow
er. andlphas q Governor and State officers,
and that it has subordinate officers all
throughout the length and breadth of the
STATE. TRUST that we will recognize the fact
that orr attack and our fight is not on that
Democratic administration which ne have
placed III power and for which we are respon-
s1ble: that our contest is personal to the
il Should be waged in so amieabie a manner
that when the verdict of the people shall have
been rendered at the convention to be held
the 10th of January next, that we will vie
with each other IN our enthusiastic support
of the candidate, whoever he may be. Jap
plause.l
| am glad to see tonight so many Of che
fair daughters Of Caicasieu before me. T
not how to thank them for their at
tendance. Everything alInoRd that eorid be
said was included in the beautiful and poetic
tribute which YVES paid TO thea to-day BY the
{Aaraffsar a. tho Gfata. ha.f T zsanoopfra +ha